The Flintstones: Rocky Generations
by Chameleon777
Summary: The course of events following "A Flintstone Family Christmas." Of course, along with family love, there is drama and action.... The Flintstones live on....
1. The Flintstone Family

It was January 2nd of the new year and Bedrock was covered in snow and ice.

However, the inner glow of happiness and family love warmed everyone greatly. There was much cause for celebration on this special day.

Fred, Wilma, Barney, and Betty, as well as Bamm Bamm, Pebbles, and their two infants, Roxy and Chip, were all gathered at the Bedrock Social Services office. Following Christmas Eve, when Fred connected with who he thought was a good for nothing punk, there was a family discussion and a decision made.

After anxiously waiting through the Christmas and New Year holidays, when the businesses of Bedrock were at a standstill, the entire family had gathered and were preparing to add another to the brood. Even Pearl Slaghoople, who kept in touch with Fred and Wilma often, had made the journey to Bedrock for it. She now stood beside Fred and Wilma, equally excited about what was to transpire.

Stella Stalactite, who had been the social worker involved, entered the room with Stoney, who was wearing his usual attire, minus the hat. The judge was also present.

Stella had been extremely impressed with the Flintstones, especially Fred, who had not given up on Stoney, instead showing him enough family love and kindness to draw a kinder side of him out into the open.

Stella and Stoney had just been in with the judge, who had seen what a loving family unit the Flintstones were and had permitted things to proceed, providing he could witness it.

After receiving a nod from Stella, Stony quickly went and stood beside Fred, who quickly put a protective arm around Stony, and Wilma. The entire Rubble clan smiled, if anyone deserved this, it was Fred and Wilma. They had worked so hard raising Pebbles and it was clear that they were happy at having another.

"All right, Mr. and Mrs. Flintstone," Stella said, placing the slabs on the table. "If you will just sign on the dotted line, the adoption will be official.

Wilma stepped forward and, with tears of joy in her eyes, she quickly chiselled her signature on the papers and retreated to stand with Stoney and the rest of her family. Fred then stepped forward and quickly chiselled his name on the papers. As he stepped back to join his family, the judge smiled.

"I, Judge Shale, now recognize this boy as Stony Flintstone," the judge said, picking up the tablets. "I also recognize his parents to forever be Frederick J. and Wilma Flintstone forevermore."

Excited about finally having a son, Fred jumped in the air and shouted excitedly, "YABBA DABBA DO!" I FINALLY HAVE A SON OF MY OWN TO CARRY ON THE NAME OF FLINTSTONE!"

Everyone, including the judge and Stella, laughed and then the entire family gathered Stony into a hug.

About half an hour later, the entire Flintstone/Rubble clan was gathered outdoors and, after some discussion with a local photo studio, they were posing in front of a row of trees to have an updated family picture taken, one that included Stoney.

Everyone was in position and smiling. The photographer took several pictures.

The pictures looked absolutely beautiful. A snow covered ground and green trees made a lovely backdrop.

Fred, Wilma, Barney, and Betty were all in the middle with Pebbles, who held Chip, on the left side of Fred, and Bamm Bamm, who held Roxy, on the right side of Betty. Pearl stood on the right side of Pebbles. In front of Fred and Wilma stood their new son, Stony.


	2. Rocky Roads

_**Palmstone Academy - Hollyrock – 10 Years Later**_

The doors opened and silence greeted the Rubbles as they entered the posh Palmstone Academy. Not a soul was in sight, not even the children they had been called to come pick up for infractions that were contradictory to the private school's many regulations.

Pebbles Rubble gave her husband a worried look, "Oh Bammer, I'm worried about what kind of trouble Chip and Roxy have gotten themselves into now," she said in a worried voice.

"Don't worry, Pebs, we'll help them as we always do," Bamm Bamm replied as he took her hand and led her through the foyer of the school towards the large office area.

Pebbles nodded, but remained silent as they approached the office; she had always been so uneasy about sending Chip and Roxy to private school, but with the skyrocketing of their careers, other parents at their respective jobs had encouraged them to think of their kids.

Against their better judgment, Pebbles and Bamm Bamm had looked into Palmstone Academy; the school's advertisements had boasted excellent academic and athletic opportunities for those of high privilege lifestyles. With the children's unique qualities, however, maybe it had been a bad idea.

Pebbles smoothed down her pink animal print dress as she and Bamm Bamm, who was dressed in a smart green tunic covered by a dark jacket. They could see a well-dressed secretary sitting at a marble desk with an untouched typewriter in front of her while she worked on her hair and makeup.

"Excuse me, we're the Rubbles," Bamm Bamm stated in a worried voice. "We were called—"

The secretary gave them a patronizing look, "Oh, _you're the Rubbles,"_ she said in a snooty voice as she looked them up and down with a condescending sneer. "You can go right in to the Headmaster's office."

Pebbles and Bamm Bamm exchanged a concerned look and moved into the office complex; they had no trouble finding the shale door that led into Principal Shale's office; they had been here much too often.

* * *

**_Bedrock High School – Bedrock_**

A single figure sat in a small classroom that was referred to among both students and staff as the 'resource room.' He sat at a table in the corner of the room, hunched over a slate and quietly chiseling away. His blond hair hid his face from view. The teacher, Miss Chisel, lingered nearby, watching him.

The bell rang, signaling the end of classes and the end of school for another day.

As the many students of Bedrock High filed out of the many classrooms, the blond figure stopped working and lifted his head, revealing the handsome face of Stoney Flintstone.

Stoney looked anxiously at Miss Chisel, who gave the young student a reassuring smile; the school day was indeed over. He knew he looked gentle and appealing enough in his blue tunic and dark jacket, but he didn't feel that way.

"Stoney, good work today," Miss Chisel said in a calming tone as she watched Stoney hop up from the chair and put his work in a small shoulder bag. "Now, remember, finals are coming up very soon."

Stoney nodded and slung his bag over his shoulder, "Thank you, Miss Chisel," he replied in a sincere tone as he moved towards the door. "I'll study during my breaks at the quarry tonight."

"Good," Miss Chisel replied in a relieved tone. "Now, the teacher supervising your finals is very nice and all you should do is study hard and relax. You've been doing so well with your work this semester."

Stoney smiled; he was relieved that along with his normal classes, he was able to spend an extensive amount of time in the school resource room. As much as he tried to do well, not everything was easy.

As Miss Chisel waved, Stoney smiled and quickly hurried out of the classroom; he quickly gravitated through the hallway and out the door as fast as he could. A blue sky and warm air greeted him.

"Yabba Dabba Doo!" Stoney shouted in a gleeful voice as he ran to, jumped on, and slid down the dinosaur staircase that led from the school entrance to the street below. Today was a very good day.

Stoney grinned and, gazing back up at the school, he ran to catch a city bus out to the quarry.

* * *

"Fighting again?" Pebbles asked, her voice full of shock and anger as she gave Roxy and Chip the sternest look she had the energy to muster. "Your father and I have told you that fighting is WRONG."

Chip shrugged, but Roxy immediately pouted, "Mother, really, it was justified," she said in a whiny tone as she played with her snow-white hair and gazed at her mother. "How else do I fend off lovesick boys?"

At that comment, Bamm Bamm did not look amused, "I wasn't fighting," Chip suddenly cut in. "I was just hanging out with some friends in the front courtyard and we were looking over some of the textbooks."

"The Raptors are one of the school's _gangs_," Principal Shale spat, his voice full of utter disgust. "I was doing my daily rounds of the school and its campus when I came upon your son and several of the Raptors socializing at one of the fountains and chiseling the most offensive things into the sidewalk! When I scolded them, I realized that they were also chiseling offensive words into a math textbook!"

Pebbles suddenly looked infuriated, "I assure you, Principal Shale, the textbook and the sidewalk damage will be paid for out of Chip's allowance," she said in an angry tone. "Isn't that right, Chip?"

"I'm saving my money for a new bike," Chip replied hotly. "I hate this school anyway. I want to drop out of school and go work for Shelly Millstone like Dad does. Actors don't need to go to school."

Bamm Bamm almost looked amused, "I don't act Chip," he replied. "I merely write scripts for her."

"Ahem," Principal Shale interrupted in an impatient voice. "Now, Mr. and Mrs. Rubble, I do understand that you are both very busy in your careers; however, maybe Palmstone is not the right sort of educational environment for your children. Might I suggest looking into a different school for in the fall?"

For a moment, there was silence as Pebbles and Bamm Bamm looked at each other, both of them unsure how to react, "I believe you mentioned that you and your husband come from a place called Bedrock, Mrs. Rubble?" Principal Shale finally spoke, amazed at how the meeting was progressing.

Pebbles nodded, but said nothing, "Perhaps it would benefit your children to spend some time in a less adventurous environment?" Principal Shale suggested in a firm voice. "I highly recommend it."

"We'll contact our parents and discuss that possibility with them," Pebbles replied. "Right, Bamm Bamm?"

Bamm Bamm nodded, "We'll call them tonight," he said in a firm tone. "Is there anything else?"

"No, just take them home for the day please," Principal Shale replied crossly. "Good bye."

Letting out a distressed sigh, Bamm Bamm got to his feet, "C'mon kids, let's go," he said in a resigned voice. "I have to work on my writing when we get home and your mother has a meeting tonight."

"Thank you for your time, Principal Shale," Pebbles said as she got to her feet. "See you later."

Principal Shale sighed and silently watched as the four Rubbles left his office; life was so difficult.

* * *

"Stoney, you're early today," Fred commented in a pleasant voice as he saw his son come into the company locker room with his backpack slung over one shoulder. "How was school?"

Stoney smiled as he walked over to his locker and opened it, "About the same," he replied in a kind voice as he put his backpack in, took out his turtle shell helmet, and shut the door. "Finals are coming up."

Fred nodded as Stoney walked over to him, "Where's Mister Rubble at?" Stoney asked as he followed his father out of the locker room and into the upper part of the quarry. "Don't you two work together?"

"Barney was called into a meeting with Mr. Slate," Fred replied calmly. "He IS Mr. Slate's nephew."

Stoney nodded, turned away, and silently gazed into the large gravel pit where several dinosaur cranes were already at work making the pit bigger. He was dreading telling his parents that he spent more time in the resource room instead of the classroom because of social anxieties and learning difficulties.

He was already behind his age curve for not starting school until he was seven and as he got older, it got harder.

"Stoney, are you all right?" Fred asked, concerned by how quiet Stoney had gotten. "Wanna talk?"

Stoney sighed, turned to his father, and shook his head, "No, I'm all right," he replied in a nervous voice, wanting to live up to what was expected of him. "Anyway, I should really get the rock truck running."

"The rock truck broke down yesterday," Barney said as he came out of Mr. Slate's office. "Mister Slate said that he wants you to get some tools out of the supply shed and take the express elevator into the pit to fix it. After the truck's fixed, Mister Slate wants you to go do your homework for the rest of your shift."

Nodding, Stoney hurried over to the shed without a word, "Something's bothering him," Fred commented, a concerned expression on his face as he watched Stoney get a box of tools out of the shed.

"Ah, Fred, Stoney's never found it easy to talk about his feelings," Barney replied, knowing that Stoney would only talk whenever he felt like it. "Mister Slate wants us to go work on digging out the north pit…"

Meanwhile, Stoney had made it to the express elevator and was now quietly waiting for the door to come back to the top so he could go down and do his job. The door quickly arrived at the top and Stoney boarded the elevator, relieved that he didn't have to make conversation with any of his father's friends.

As the elevator lurched to the bottom of the pit, a skinny young man climbed up into an aged dinosaur crane and immediately got on to his cell-phone. The worker, who was known as Skip Ratrock around the quarry for the short time he had been there, was already on probation for numerous safety violations.

Stoney knew none of this, however, as he had only been taken on as an after school repair/errands boy a month ago after his guidance counselor had encouraged him to seek interests outside of school. He was focused on doing the job he was assigned to do and then he would retreat back to his world of books.

* * *

"Seriously, I can't imagine you wanting to keep this quarry," Boulder Ratrock said in an amused voice as he stood at the window of the company boardroom and watched the work. "It's a waste of a space."

At the head of the table, Mr. Slate sighed and fought hard to keep his temper in check, "As I have told you before, Mister Ratrock, this quarry gives people work," he said in a firm voice. "When Bedrock actually has a need for such a thing as you are proposing, I might be willing to consider your offer; not right now."

"Filling the pit with water and building condos around the site will attract more of the right people to Bedrock," Skip replied in an amused voice. "You can retire in Acapulco with a cozy little nest egg."

Mr. Slate gave Skip a look, "You'll have a nest egg on your head if you don't get out of my office and let me get some work done," he said in a stern voice. "I don't have time to listen to any more nonsense."

Skip scowled, "Don't come crawling to me when you find yourself in over your head," he said in a pouty voice as he stalked off towards the door. "I gave you an offer and you refused it; consider it gone."

As Skip opened the door, walked out, and slammed the door behind him, Mr. Slate sighed wearily.

* * *

"Maybe I should get some glasses," Stoney muttered to himself as he squinted at the smaller parts in the engine of the rock truck to see if there was anything on them. "It's getting tougher and tougher to do this."

Even as he worked, though, Stoney knew that his eyesight was fine; it was his shame and his desire not to be stuck as a repairman for the rest of his life that was distracting him. After helping his parents and the Rubbles do repair jobs when he was old enough, Stoney had found his niche, but he wanted much more.

"…Nah, that pile of skin and bones is repairing junk around the pit again," Skip's voice carried over.

Stoney sighed and stood up to grab a wrench from the box to tighten a few bolts before he tested the engine; a few bolts must have come loose when the night shifter was driving it, he silently reasoned.

"...Ratrock, get off the cell-phone and get back to working that bronto crane!" Fred yelled as he and Barney got off the express elevator and walked over to their bronto cranes. "That's a safety…"

Skip Ratrock scoffed, "…That fatso Flintstone is bothering me, so I have to go," he hissed into the cell-phone as he leaned forward, unaware that he was slowly shifting the brake out of gear.

As Skip hung up and leaned back to put the phone away, the bronto crane suddenly jerked backwards and nearly threw Skip out of his workstation as it released the rock that had been sitting in its mouth.

"RUN, STONEY, RUN!" Fred yelled in an anxious voice, seeing that the rock was headed right for the truck that Stoney was working on. Fred swallowed hard and began to run towards the truck to help.

Unfortunately, the rock slammed down on top of the truck and sent both Stoney and the toolbox flying across the gravel pit into a rock wall. As Stoney fell face first on to the ground, the toolbox came down hard on his left leg, shattered, and covered the lower half of his body with several unused tools.

"Oww," Stoney whispered as he lay there in both shock and pain at what had just happened to him.

Incredibly alarmed, Fred immediately hurried over to where his son lay, "Just lay still, Stoney," he said in a reassuring voice as he knelt down next to his son. "Barney's gonna go get some help for you."

Barney shot a glare at Skip, "Report to Slate's office right now," Barney said in a mean voice. "I mean it."

Skip took off at a run towards the express elevator. Barney swallowed hard and reached for the walkie talkie that he and other workers now had on their new work belts in case anything ever happened. Now was the time to use it.

_"Medical emergency in North Pit One,"_ was the last thing Stoney heard before passing into oblivion.

* * *

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	3. A Rock and a Hard Place

Attracted by the smell of appetizing food, Dino wandered into the kitchen and was excited when he saw Wilma and Betty working on a large rack of ribs. He grew even more excited when he saw the large bowls and plates of food on the table, but Wilma immediately noticed his excited look and chuckled.

"Sorry Dino, this is a catering order," Wilma said in a gentle voice. "I'll make you something later."

Dino whimpered and, letting out a sigh, Wilma picked up a Mastodon meatball from the plate on the table and tossed it to him, "Dino, go on now," she said in a gentle voice. "Betty and I have work to do and you need to wait by the door for Daddy and Stoney to get home from work, okay?"

Suddenly looking eager, as Stoney or Fred usually brought him a treat every day, Dino nodded and hurried out of the kitchen to wait for their homecoming. Wilma giggled and looked at Betty.

"Dino's excited because Stoney always talks Fred into stopping at the pet store to get dog treats for Dino even though they've both had a long day," Wilma commented in an amused voice. "I'm worried about Stoney, Betty, I really am. He goes to school, goes to work, and comes home; he doesn't really socialize."

Betty sighed and added another few meatballs to the tray, "Stoney's a good kid and you shouldn't worry about him socializing," she replied in a gentle voice. "Anyway, I think that's enough meatballs for now."

"I think we can finish this later," Wilma replied in a tired voice. "The order's not needed for two days."

Before Betty could reply, the wall phone rang. Wilma hurried over to the phone and picked it up.

"Hello?" Wilma asked in a cheerful voice. "Oh, Barney, what is it? There was an accident at the quarry?"

At the mention of an accident, Betty frowned and moved closer to the phone, "…Okay, Betty and I will come to the hospital right away," Wilma said in a worried voice. "….See you soon, bye bye."

"Stoney was in an accident at the quarry," Wilma said in a worried voice as she hung up the phone and looked at Betty. "Barney just called from the hospital and he said that we should hurry and get there."

Betty nodded, but looked very concerned, "We should call Pebbles and let her know," she replied in a worried voice. "Stoney's her brother and I'm sure he'd want to know that she cares about him."

"We can call from the hospital once we know more," Wilma said, anxious to know whether or not her only son was going to be okay. "Betty, I'm too nervous to drive. Can we take your car to the hospital?"

Giving Wilma a reassuring smile, Betty put an arm around her and led her outside, "Sure," she replied.

* * *

"I can't believe we were able to get a flight out this evening," Pebbles said in an energized tone as she walked out of the gate holding a small turtle-shell sized bag. "Roxy, Chip, are you coming or not?"

Unable to bolt back on to the plane because their father was right on their heels, Roxy and Chip came out of the gate each carrying a large business-like suitcase that contained their clothes and whatever personal items they could fit into them. After being dragged out of their school, they had been taken home and told to pack immediately; they were going to Bedrock that evening to visit their family.

Roxy had changed out of her uniform into a pink dress with frilly sleeves before whining that she didn't want to go to a smaller town and be seen as a freak because of her super strength. Pebbles had overruled her and basically had given her a choice; either be packed by the time they had booked a flight or be packed for and possibly miss out on bringing something she liked. Roxy had chosen to pack.

Pebbles had phoned her agency, moved her meeting up, and while she was gone, Bamm Bamm had helped Chip to pack and had then explained to both of his children why they were doing this; it was better to take them out to Bedrock now to see if they could arrange everything in person right away rather than keep the tense agreement with Palmstone going and possibly bring about more trouble.

When Pebbles had finally gotten home, she was pleased to find that Bamm Bamm had booked a flight for four, packed their bags, and was keeping Roxy and Chip from running away. Determined to get them away from an environment that was doing more harm than good, they had then left for the airport.

"Mom, I'm hungry," Chip whined as he smoothed down his black tunic with the hand that wasn't carrying his suitcase. "That flight took way too long, the plane was cold, and it was boring!"

Pebbles sighed and walked over to a pay phone, "Once I phone your grandparents and see if they can pick us up, we'll talk about dinner," she replied in a no-nonsense voice. "Bammer, watch them."

"Okay Pebs," Bamm Bamm replied with a sigh in his voice as he kept an eye on his wayward children.

* * *

"I called Wilma and she says that she and Betty will come as soon as they can," Barney said as he walked into the hospital waiting room where Fred was sitting on the couch holding Stoney's backpack and work hat. "We should have waited for the police to finish with Skip before we came to the hospital."

Fred shook his head, "Three hours was my limit," he replied in a tired voice. "Mister Slate was so busy fielding calls from reporters and trying to keep the other workers from going after Skip that I don't think he cared whether or not we stuck around. I grabbed Stoney's stuff from his locker in case he needs it."

"I'm sure Stoney's not going to feel like doing any homework," Barney commented in a concerned voice as he walked over and sat down next to Fred. "That accident was pretty serious, you know."

Fred sighed and set the backpack down on the floor. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a photo of him and a younger Stoney wearing fishing hats and vests over their normal clothes and holding poles.

"Wilma took this when we took Stoney camping the summer after we adopted him," Fred explained as he showed the photo to Barney. "He was having a little trouble fitting in and tried to run away…"

Barney nodded; he and Betty had gone with them and still remembered that trip well, "That was when Stoney sprained his ankle in that cave, right?" Barney asked. "It took both of us to get him out of there."

"I wish we had gotten him out of this mess," Fred replied bitterly. "I can't believe Skip wasn't fired."

Barney sighed, "Maybe he will be after all this is over," he replied. "There's gonna be an investigation."

"Stoney doesn't need this right now," Fred replied, deeply annoyed. "He's got finals coming up."

Before Barney, who hated how Fred was beating himself up, could reply, Wilma and Betty rushed into the waiting room, "We came as fast as we could," Wilma said as she hugged Fred. "Any news yet?"

"No and we couldn't even get here right away," Fred replied in a distressed voice. "Mister Slate made Barney and I wait at the quarry for three hours to talk to us and the rest of the guys about what happened. The quarry's gonna be closed for a few days so things can be sorted out and I'm worried."

Wilma nodded and gently rubbed Fred's shoulder as a doctor came into the room holding a clipboard in one hand and a shell helmet in the other, "Are you all here about Stoney Flintstone?" he asked in a concerned voice. "I'm Doctor Moonstone, the one in charge of Stoney's medical care. Stoney's going to be fine, but he did sustain some serious injuries that will require him to stay in the hospital for a few days before he can go home because he had major surgery…"

"Can we see Stoney?" Wilma asked anxiously, hoping that her only son was truly all right. "Please?"

Dr. Moonstone nodded, "Just be aware that Stoney's still coming out of the anesthesia and might not be fully aware of his surroundings for a while yet," he replied gently. "If you want, I'll take you to his room."

Suddenly, Fred's portable phone went off in his pocket and Fred quickly took it out and answered it with a sigh, "Hello?" he asked in a tired voice. "Oh, hi Pebbles. What do you mean you're at the airport?"

Fred was silent as Pebbles explained the situation and was relieved when Wilma quickly took the phone from him and held it to her ear, "Hello Pebbles, Betty and I will come to the airport as fast as we can," she said in a calm voice, nodding at Fred to follow Dr. Moonstone. "Yes, Pebbles, I understand…"

Fred sighed deeply and followed Dr. Moonstone out of the room, relieved when Barney tagged along.

* * *

The rest of the well cared for land was bare, or at least as far as Skip saw it as he pulled his Rocks Royce up to the curb in front of the old castle-like house that had been abandoned for many years. He could see his son, Boulder, who was a tall, skinny 13 year old with a dark pelt on and slicked hair, lingering outside the front left window.

"Boulder, why do you waste your time looking at this rundown shack?" Skip said as he got out of the car and walked over to where his son was standing. "I've told you time and time again that it's not…"

A loud groan suddenly filtered out the window and Boulder whimpered, "Dad, it's haunted!" he whispered in a horrified voice as he backed away and moved towards the car. "Let's go home!"

Skip scoffed, but before he could reply, the front door opened and a large man that looked like a stone-age Frankenstein came outside holding a large black bag in one hand and looked at them quizzically. Both Skip and Boulder screamed loudly, bolted back to their car, and drove off into the night as the big man yawned loudly.

'Frank, after you get the trash out, a Nate Slate's on the phone," a feminine voice spilled out into the night. "He wants to talk to you about the upcoming meeting."

Frank sighed, put the bag in a gray bin beside the house and sighed, "Coming Hidea, dear," he replied in a calmer voice as he turned and went back inside the house. A moment later, the door slammed, making the night quiet once more.

* * *

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	4. Rock Solid Unity

"Now remember, Stoney's still coming out of the anesthesia, so he may be a little groggy," Dr. Moonstone said as he, Fred, and Barney walked down the hallway and stopped outside a room.

Fred nodded, "You mentioned that Stoney had surgery," he replied softly. "What kind of surgery?"

"Stoney had to have his spleen removed to stop some very serious internal bleeding and he also had to have some screws put into his broken leg to set it," Dr. Moonstone explained. "He also has a mild concussion and some broken ribs because of the accident and he'll have to be here for about a week."

Fred swallowed hard as he entered the room and saw that Stoney was asleep in bed with a blue gown and sabertooth blanket covering his body. His left leg was in a cast and in traction, a bandage was around his head and made his golden hair even messier than normal, and small IV lines were in his arms and attached to bags that were held up by small birds perched on specially crafted stone IV poles.

"You can sit with him however long you like," Dr. Moonstone said in a gentle voice. "Now, I've got to…"

A faint groan could suddenly be heard and Dr. Moonstone and Barney hurried into the room just in time to see Stoney's eyes slowly open and focus on Fred, "Stoney, it's Dad," Fred said slowly, seeing that Stoney's look was one of pure confusion. "You're in the hospital. There was an accident at the quarry…"

"Oh yeah," Stoney replied in a groggy voice as he struggled to stay awake. "I'm so sleepy, Dad."

Letting out a sigh, Fred moved to Stoney's bedside, "I know," he replied gently. "You had surgery..."

"I have exams coming up," Stoney said groggily. "Miss Chisel says I have exams starting Monday."

Fred sighed, "Don't worry about that right now," he replied gently. "Just close your eyes and rest."

Stoney sighed, "I don't feel so good," he said in a soft voice. "Maybe a little more sleep would help…"

"You can stay with Stoney however long you'd like to, Mister Flintstone," Dr. Moonstone said as Stoney fell back into a deep, restless sleep. "I'll check back to see how he's doing in a few hours, all right?"

Fred nodded and walked over to Stoney's bedside, "When are you going to tell Stoney about what Mister Slate said?" Barney asked worriedly, remaining by the door. "It's really important to tell…"

"When Stoney's in good enough shape to talk, I'll talk to him," Fred replied softly. "Not right now."

Barney nodded, "I'm gonna go check out the gift shop to see if there's anything I can get for Stoney to cheer him up a little," he said in a calmer voice. "Do you want anything from the cafeteria, Fred?"

"No," Fred replied somberly as he sat down in a nearby chair. "I'm fine for a little while."

_You're not fine, Fred, but you're too stubborn to say it. _Barney thought as he silently left the room.

* * *

"I don't want to eat a greasy burger from RockDonald's, Daddy!" Roxy, who was used to the gourmet food that Hollyrock had to offer, whined as she followed her father and Chip over to the RockDonald's that was close to the airport gates. "Doesn't this airport have anything that teenagers like to eat?"

Bamm Bamm sighed as they approached the counter, "You and Chip are eleven, Roxy," he replied in a tired voice, fighting the urge to scoff as Chip wandered over to a trash bin and leaned against it.

"That's almost like being a teenager!" Roxy whined. "I'm too good to be in this place full of nothing!"

Swallowing hard, Bamm Bamm drummed his fingers on the counter and smiled as a RockDonald's worker came up in front of the register, "Hello, welcome to RockDonald's," the worker said in a cheerful voice. "What can I get for you today, sir? Our specials include a MacRocker Combo with fries…"

"Four of those, please," Bamm Bamm replied, anxious to get the order and meet up with Pebbles.

The worker nodded and Bamm Bamm turned away from the counter; Chip was still leaning against the garbage can and had gotten his CaveBoy portable game out of his pocket while Roxy was in a nearby airport shop looking at the latest cosmetics and latest teen magazines with an expression of intrigue.

"Well, at least they're not causing any trouble," Pebbles said as she came up beside him and gave him a very gentle, but romantic hug. "Mister Pyrite said that they can't go without my help for very long, though."

Bamm Bamm nodded, "Maybe Chip can help Stoney and your dad with some yard work or something during the summer," he replied tiredly. "Our moms can teach Roxy how to become responsible…"

"Speaking of responsible, why is Roxy reading a teen magazine?" Pebbles asked, frowning as she spotted Roxy standing in the store flipping through the magazine. "Roxy Rubble, why are you reading that?"

Roxy scoffed and continued to skim through it, "Hey Mister, your order is ready," the worker behind the counter said as he pushed a tray filled with boxed burgers, fries, and shakes across the counter.

"Thanks," Bamm Bamm replied as he turned back and got some clams out of his pocket. "This enough?"

The worker nodded and took the money, "Mmm," Pebbles commented as she looked at the food. "I absolutely loved going to the drive-thru as a kid and getting these; Chip and Roxy, it's dinnertime!"

"Cool," Chip replied as he put his CaveBoy away and walked over to them. "What are those?"

Roxy scoffed as she walked over to the RockDonald's, "It's a burger," she sniffed. "It looks awful."

"Don't knock it until you try it, Roxy," Pebbles replied, her worry temporarily forgotten as she picked up a burger from the tray and took it out of its box. "This is just what all of us need after a hard day."

* * *

"…And so, it is with no reservations, that I announce that Slate Corp. has merged with Frankenstone Enterprises and is now venturing into the business of home creation," Mr. Slate announced as he stood before a large crowd of people that included reporters and a few police officers to keep order.

Applause filled the crowded office and for a brief moment, Mr. Slate looked out the window at the cordoned off quarry where the police were still taking statements from Skip and the others. The police also wanted to talk to Fred, Barney, and Stoney, but they would send someone to the hospital later.

The merge had previously been in the works and wasn't set to be finalized until the summer, but due to the accident, Mr. Slate had contacted Frank and quickly arranged a press conference. Tugging at his tie, Mr. Slate moved out of the way and smiled as Frank Frankenstone approached the podium in a suit.

As Frank began a speech that he had hastily assembled in light of the sudden conference, newly appointed Police Chief Phlio Quartz slipped out of the office and walked over to his parked patrol car. He needed to go to the hospital and talk to Fred, Barney, and Stoney about what was going on before it became too hot of a news item; he also needed to see if Fred and Stoney wanted to press charges against Skip for causing the accident. As it was, Skip was already facing a reprimand and heavy fines.

"Hey, Chief Quartz, just a second," Joe Rockhead, who had just finished talking with the officers and permitted to leave, spoke as he got out of the elevator. "Are you going by the hospital right now?"

Raising an eyebrow in confusion, Philo nodded, "I was just wondering because right before the accident, Skip was making some hurtful comments about Stoney," Joe replied worriedly. "Are you gonna do…?"

"I'll talk to Mister Ratrock about it later," Philo replied. "Have you been cleared to leave yet?"

Joe nodded, "This quarry will be closed for the next few days," Philo replied. "Enjoy your days off."

Before Joe could ask any more questions, Philo continued walking to his patrol car in silence. Joe sighed and then, not wanting to go home until he heard news, sauntered over to the window of Mr. Slate's office to see if he could learn anything about the 'secret meeting' that was going on in Mr. Slate's office.

* * *

By the time Wilma and Betty made it through the rush-hour traffic and out to the airport, the sun was setting and the airport parking lot was nearly empty. Fortunately, Wilma quickly spotted Pebbles, Bamm Bamm, Chip, and Roxy lingering at an outside table with only a few bags on a small luggage cart.

"Pebbles, Bamm Bamm, I'm so sorry that we're so late, but it took forever to get here from the hospital in all the rush hour traffic," Wilma explained as she pulled the car over to the curb. "Anyway, can I…?"

At the mention of the hospital, Pebbles looked alarmed, "Did something happen to Daddy or Mister Rubble, Mom?" she asked worriedly. "I thought that the quarry had undergone some upgrades…"

"Stoney was doing some repairs in the pit today and one of the workers got careless with a bronto crane and there was a big accident," Wilma explained as Bamm Bamm loaded the bags into the back of the car. "Your dad and Barney are at the hospital with Stoney right now and I don't know anything else about what's going on."

Roxy frowned as she and Chip got into the backseat of the car, "I hope Uncle Stoney's okay," she replied even though she hadn't spent a lot of time with her uncle over the years. "Can we go visit him now?"

"I don't want to sit around a hospital waiting room," Chip whined. "I'm getting really tired."

Pebbles sighed, "I want to see if Stoney's going to be all right, but I'm not sure how long Chip and Roxy will be able to be at the hospital and manage to behave themselves," she replied as she got into the car and waited for Bamm Bamm to get in. "Actually, Mom, Bammer and I really need to talk to all of you."

"Have you all had any dinner?" Betty asked in a worried voice. "We could always go home for a bit…"

Getting into the car, Bamm Bamm nodded, "We had some food at the RockDonald's," he replied tiredly.

"Maybe we should all just go home for now and I'll phone Daddy about Stoney from there, okay Pebbles?" Wilma suggested as she looked back at her daughter. "That way, you can all settle in."

Pebbles nodded and sighed as Wilma quickly started the car and drove away from the quiet airport.

* * *

"…No, Wilma, Stoney woke up for a few minutes, but he went back to sleep not long after that," Stoney heard his father say in an unusually soft voice that was filled with concern. "He had some very serious surgery, so I'm not sure if he should have a lot of visitors tonight. Barney and I are going to stay here to help Stoney get through the night and make sure he's okay…"

Stoney opened his eyes and was surprised to see that his father was sitting in a chair beside the hospital bed holding the family portable phone to his ear, "…Right, you call Bedrock High tomorrow and let them know that Stoney will have to take his exams here," he heard his father say. "…I know Pebbles is worried about Stoney, but he really doesn't need all that attention right now; he just needs quiet tonight…"

Barney suddenly came back into the room holding a book in one hand and a small water bottle in the other and saw that Fred was on the phone, but oblivious to the fact that Stoney was awake again. Stoney sighed tiredly as Barney approached the bed.

"Any news from Mister Slate yet, Mister Rubble?" Stoney asked groggily. "Am I going to be disciplined for what happened?"

Barney shrugged and quickly looked at Fred, "…All right, Wilma, I love you," Fred was saying into the phone. "Bye bye."

"The accident wasn't your fault," Barney replied gently, noting Stoney's look of confusion. "Don't you remember?"

Fred frowned and quickly put the phone on the table as he stood up, "Barney, not now," he said in an anxious, almost angry voice, silently reminding Barney that Dr. Moonstone had mentioned that Stoney had a concussion and needed rest and quiet.

"Uh, right," Barney replied nervously as he held out the items. "Stoney, I got you a book from the gift shop and as I was coming back to your room, I ran into Doctor Moonstone. He told me to make sure you drink this all by the end of the night…"

Stoney nodded and winced, "Dad, can I watch a little TV to keep myself awake?" he asked tiredly. "I'm tired of sleeping."

"Maybe there's an old movie or a game on," Fred replied gently as he picked the remote up from the table, pressed it, and watched as a small bird flew out of it and over to the small TV that was hanging from the ceiling in the far corner of the room.

When the bird turned the TV on, however, a scene of the quarry appeared on the screen, "…Tonight, we bring you an exclusive from the Bedrock quarry," a female reporter's voice spoke. "Just hours ago, there was a terrible accident involving 17 year old quarry mechanic, Stoney Flintstone, and Skip Ratrock, an employee already on probation for numerous safety violations…"

"Turn that off!" Fred snapped as he threw the remote to Barney and looked at Stoney. "Stoney, don't pay any attention…"

Stoney sighed wearily as Barney turned the TV off, "I need to study," Stoney said in a tired voice. "Where's my backpack?"

"I sent it with Wilma," Barney replied gently. "You should drink the water and try not to read anything until at least tomorrow."

Swallowing hard, Stoney took the water and drank a little bit of it before returning the cup to Barney, "Everything hurts and now I feel like the biggest screw up in all of Bedrock," he said in a distressed voice as he put his hands over his face. "I-I…"

Warm tears suddenly fell from Stoney's face and hit the blanket, "Oh, Stoney, come on," Fred said in a gentle voice as he moved closer to the bed and put a gentle arm around his son. "You are not a screw up; you are my son and I love you."

Letting out a tired sigh, Stoney cried quietly for a few more minutes before moving his hands away from his face, "I'm really tired all of a sudden," he replied in a sleepy voice. "Dad, Mister Rubble, could you both stay with me while I sleep tonight? I'm just feeling so awful and I don't want to be alone right now..."

"Of course, son," Fred replied gently as he gently stroked Stoney's hair. "You're not alone in this, Stoney; you have all of us and we all love you very much."

Nodding, Stoney grasped his father's hand in his own and then fell asleep. Fred sighed and he and Barney quietly watched as Stoney slept; the day had been long and hard for all three of them and it would probably only get harder.

However, they were a family and would get through everything that came from this accident as a rock solid family. It had been and would always be that way

As Fred stood there, he silently promised that he would do whatever it took to help Stoney in his recovery and to also help him find a way to finish high school and to find a way in the world where he would be both happy and successful.

* * *

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